CHICAGO (670 The Score) — Inside the victorious locker room at Soldier Field on Sunday, the Bears lit up cigars following their 37-17 win over the Falcons. It’s a celebration typically reserved for a championship milestone, though this team wanted to commemorate its growth this season.
The Bears started 0-4 following a gut-wrenching collapse in a 31-28 loss to the Broncos on Oct. 1 at Soldier Field. At that time, they were 3-18 in head coach Matt Eberflus' tenure and faced great adversity. Through it all, the Bears remained committed to improving this season. That much has been clear down the stretch, with the Bears winning seven of their last 12 games.
“I really appreciate the guys in (the locker room),” Eberflus said Sunday. “The way they’ve been fighting, the way they’ve been battling.”
The Bears (7-9) were officially eliminated from postseason contention Sunday night by virtue of the Packers’ 33-10 win over the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Chicago is left to lament three games it lost after holding double-digit leads in the fourth quarter, including a heartbreaking defeat in Cleveland on Dec. 17.
The Bears will close out their season Sunday at 3:25 p.m. CT when they play the Packers (8-8) at Lambeau Field. Green Bay can clinch a playoff spot with a win, while Chicago will look to spoil that occasion for its longstanding rival.
Though the Bears are just playing for pride, they can bring their season full circle from their 38-20 loss to the Packers at Soldier Field in their season opener.
“We are definitely better than Week 1,” quarterback Justin Fields said. “You know, Week 1, we had a lot of new players, new guys. Throughout the season, we built chemistry in the locker room and on the field. So, I'm excited to see what we can do in Green Bay and hopefully come up with a W.”
With a victory over the Packers, the Bears will replicate the first step of a script the Lions set a year prior. In 2022, the Lions started 1-6 before winning eight of their last 10 games, including a 20-16 victory at Lambeau Field in their season finale that prevented the Packers from reaching the playoffs. Detroit then built on that strong finish in 2022 by winning the NFC North this season, and that's a goal that Chicago will have in 2024.
The Bears have lost nine straight games to the Packers and haven’t earned a victory at Lambeau Field since 2015. These games are personal for the Bears, especially for veterans like safety Eddie Jackson.
Pride is enough for the Bears to fight for against the Packers, even with their playoff hopes lost.
“When it’s Green Bay, it’s like a championship game,” Jackson said. “You got to beat Green Bay. You got to beat them. Especially (with the results of) the first game of the season, everybody still has a taste in their mouth. We know this is going to have to be a statement game for us.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.